Signal storage tape marking machine



K. HO'PER 2,134,303

SIGNAL STORAGE TAPE MARKING MACHINE Filed June 18, 1957 s Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 25, 1938.

06L 25, K i-Kj Q 7 2,134,303.

. SIGNAL STORAGE TAPE MARKING MACHINE Filed June 18, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 25, 1938. K. HGPER SIGNAL STORAGE TAPE MARKING MACHINE Filed June 18, 1957 5 SheetS -Sheet 3 3M MW Patented Oct. 25, 1938 SIGNAL sro-mcs TAPEV'MARKING- MACHINE?" Karl Hoper, Berlin-Charlottenburg, Germany, assignor to M. Erich Blume, Leipzig, Germany Application June 18, 1937 Serial No. 148,924

' IngGermany June26, 1936 q 5 Claims. (c1. 164 112)i The inventionrelates to tape perforating machines or the like which apply to a tape characters representing-a message. Machines are known in which a reciprocating selector carriage moves 5; over an intermediate pattern frame composed of elements which may be set by the selector to form a temporary pattern representing a line of a message. This pattern is subsequently translated with the aid of a detector or translator mechanism 10 which is mounted on a second carriage and which cooperates with other machine elements to actuate the-latter in accordance with the position of certain pattern elements, thereby impressing the desired characters on the tape. A machine of 15 the aforestated type is disclosed in the patent to Otto Wolters and Karl Hoper, Patent No. 1,962,375, dated June 12, 1934.

The present invention has for its object'to provide for a shiftablestop which is moved by the 20 selector carriage to establish or mark the distance along'the pattern frame which the selector carriage has traveled in setting up the elements corresponding to a line of the message to be transmitted, thereafter limiting the travel of the trans- 25 lator carriage to the distance required for translating the line of the message whereupon the stop returns with the translator carriage toward the original position until it meets again the selector carriage. In accordance with the present invention the limit stop may be further arranged so as to be 45. is described which punches paper tape for the setting and casting of lines of printing type,-as more fully set forth in the aforementioned patent. The arrangement is especially suitable for limiting the length of a line in machines having a type- 50 writer-like keyboard and a stationary intermediate pattern frame, whose stationary but adjustable pattern elements are combined into character groups by actuation of corresponding keys. The

individual pattern elements. are returned to their 65.; normal position immediately upon the punching of the corresponding character on the tape. While thefirst line is thus punched, the next line may be prepared by the renewed setting up or grouping of the intermediate pattern elements.

The embodiment of :the invention illustrated in 5 the drawings comprises a machine which punches holes into a tape, whereby prior to the punching operation "adjustable intermediate elements are set up into a temporary pattern. After any corrections which maybe necessary the pattern may be translated into the final characters independent of the said setting-up operation. To accomplish-this, provision is made for a stop track with a movable: stop for determining the length of a line. Movably mountedon this track is a selector carriage-which is controlled to move step by step in accordance'with the irregularly timed operation of the keyboard, and adetector or translator carriage; which is advanced by automatic eans in regularly timed steps. The two carriages reciprocate insuch a manner that'the irregular keying and-the rhythmic detecting or translating take place in a cycle which is not disturbed by mutual interference by virtue of the difference in speed between the relatively slow manual operation of the keys and the high speed automatic operation ofthe detector andpunching mechanism. The proper cycling of the various operating steps without mutual interference results from the alternations between the selector carriage and the translator carriage, both of which travel simultaneously alongside of the stop track, the former aboveand the latter below a pattern frame, being guided and advanced in the manner of a typewriter carriage. The forward speed of the translator carriage which is controlled by the mechanism is usually higher than the forward speed. of theselector carriage, because the selection of the pattern elements depends upon the speed of the type-setter at the keyboard. The selector carriage is guided aboveand the translator carriage below the pattern elements which form a flat frame, by means of rolls which engage rails, the latter being fastened to the pattern frame. I 1

' In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is aside view of a tape perforating machine embodying the invention,

" Fig. 2is a top view of the shiftable stop for limitingthe travel of the translator carriage,

Fi'g.;3 =isan end view, partially in section of the machine,

Figs. 4 to 8 inclusive, show certain details of Figs'rl-an'd3 as will be explained more fully hereinafter. 17 I Referring to the drawings, I designates a. selector carriage by means of which the intermediate pattern members 9 are selected and actuated. The pattern is thereafter translated by the detector or translator carriage II) which translates and transmits the indications to the punching mechanism for producing the recording tape. The selector I is provided with rollsS and I by means of which it glides on the rail 2. Upon each actuation of a key 28 on the keyboard the selector sets up by means of a series of hooks 8 the proper combination of intermediate elements 9, turning the respective elements to the position indicated at 9 With each stroke of a key the selector advances one notch or step.

The translator carriage II] has a pair of rear rollers (not shown in the drawings), and a pair of front rollers I4, by means of which it glides on the rail l3. The rail I3 is slidingly mounted in the diagrammatically indicated front wall I8 and-rear wall4 of the machine frame. A spring 26 biases the rail I3,- toward the wall l8, the movementjbeing limited by a stop 21. The translator carriage has mountedthereon a series of bellcrank levers Ii which are providedwith releasable latches 64, the latter'adapted to engage racks 65,. The racks are connected to levers 66 whichare oscillated by-cams 69 and are biased by springs 61. One end of the levers I I is adapted to enter into gaps which are freed by the turning of the elements Sandwhen theyenter these gaps they transmit their motion through bell crankslill fi and spacers IL-83 to the punches of the punching mechanism for the tape 93.

The translator carriage is further provided with a bell crank lever 2| which is fastened thereon by a screw 22 and which during. the forward travel is latched bya bell crank 20. This-mechanism, when unlatched, lifts the spring biased, bell crank II during the return strokeof the translator carriagelfl in order to avoid its becoming locked. The lever 20 is fastened-to the carriage I0 by means of a screw 24. v v On one side of the carriage I D is a bar I2 which is rotatably mounted at its ends in .the frame of a 2 l This permits the latch of lever to engage the catch 2| and thus frees again carriage III.

Slidably mounted on the-bar I2 is the line limiting stop I6. It may be moved forth and, back either by the selector carriage .l or by the translator carriage I0. A double ended lever I1 is fastened to the stop I6 by means of a screw II. One end of the lever I1 is adapted to engage at I'I a lug of carriage Iwhich carries a screw 5. The lower end of lever I1 is provided with teeth li The carriage lfl is provided with a hooked leaf spring I9 which'may engage by its hook the head of screw H and thus draw the stop back to the starting position at the left. The leaf spring I9 is so proportioned that when the lever' II engages the carriage I at IT it yields by bending backward and thus disengages the screw H The apparat'usfunctions as follows: 'If a text is to be transferred with the described mecha have varying lengths, even if "they correspond to 1: the same printing length. It is of course also posr set in motion and operates until the pin 20 of lever 20 engages lever arm I'I This frees the catch 2P of lever 2| and lever 2| is again latched. At the same time the teeth II of lever II engage a toothed rack I5. which is fastened to the bar I3, and causes the latter to move with the stop Hi. This permits the bar 25 to drop into a detent 25 which action causes reversal of movement of carriage I I! and returns the latter to the starting position,j,thecarriage being reciprocated by any suitable means. 0 7

When near the end of its forward travel the carriage I0 meets the stop I6, the spring I9 engages the screw head I! and the carriage I0 draws the stop backward until the carriage I which in the; meantime may beactuated by the keyboard to prepare a new temporary pattern,.

engages the arm l1. This returns the stop I6- to the control of the carriage I and the cycle is repeated, The alternate interaction-between the two-carriages I and I0 and the stop I6 is in-,

dependent of the position of the carriages, so that the travel of; the translator carriage is always limited to a distance correspondingto a line of characters on the tape.

What I claim as new Letters Patent is: V i

In a keyboard operated tape perforating machine or the like of the type having an intermediate pattern framecomposed of elements which may be operated to form a temporary pattern and desire to secure by representing a line of printing, in combination with tape perforating means, a reciprocable selector carriage, a reciprocable translator carriage, adapted to control said tape perforating means, and a. pattern frame of said machine, a reciprocable adjustable stop device for said last named carriage to limit its forward travel, means to advance said device in accordance with the operation of certain elements of said pattern frame, said deviceincluding means to cause it to return with said last named carriage towards said first named carriage upon termination of the forward travel of said last named carriage.

2. In a keyboard-operated tape perforating machine or the like of the type having an intermediate patternframe composed of elements which device for said last named carriage to limit its forward travel, means to advance said device in accordance with the operation of certain elements'ofsaid pattern frame, said device including means to causeit to return with said last named carriage towards said first named car-V riageupon termination of the forward travel of said last named carriage, and coupling means to couple said device with said first named carriage duringiitsforward travel, and to release it upon reversal of movement thereof.

., 3. Ina-keyboardoperated tape perforating machine or the like of the type having an intermediate pattern frame composed of elements which may be operated to form a temporary pattern representing a line of printing, in combination with a reciprocable selector carriage, a reciprocable translator carriage and a pattern frame of said machine, a reciprocable adjustable stop device for said last named carriage to limit its forward travel, means to advance said device in accordance with the operation of certain elements of said pattern frame, said device including means to cause it to return with said last named carriage towards said first named carriage upon termination of the forward travel of said last named carriage, coupling means to couple said device with said first named carriage during its forward travel, and to release it upon reversal of movement thereof, means to arrest said device upon cessation of forward movement of said first named carriage and until the last named carriage contacts therewith to thereupon stop the forward travel of the latter and to initiate its return travel toward its starting position, and means to releasably attach said device to said last named carriage to move therewith on said return travel and until said coupling means is again actuated.

4. In a keyboard operated tape perforating machine or the like of the type having an intermediate pattern frame composed of elements which may be operated to form a temporary pattern representing a line of printing, in combination with a reciprocable selector carriage, a reciprocable translator carriage, and a pattern frame of said machine, a reciprocable adjustable stop device for said last named carriage to limit its forward travel, means to advance said device in accordance with the operation of certain elements of said pattern frame, said device including means to cause it to return with said last named carriage towards said first named carriage upon termination of the forward travel of said chine or the like of the type having an inter mediate pattern frame composed of elements which may be operated to form a temporary pattern representing a line of printing, in combination with a reciprocable selector carriage, a re-.

ciprocable translator carriage and a pattern frame of said machine, a reciprocable adjustable stop device for said last named carriage to limit its forward travel, means to advance said device in accordance with the operation of certain elements of said pattern frame, said device including means to cause it to return with said last .named carriage towards said first named carriage upon termination of the forward travel of said last named carriage, coupling means to couple said device with said first named carriage during 4 its forward travel, and to release it upon reversal of movement thereof, means to arrest said device upon cessation of forward movement of said first named carriage and until the last named carriage contacts therewith to thereupon stop the forward travel of the latter and to initiate its return travel toward its starting position, and means to releasably attach said device to said last named carriage to move therewith on said return travel and until said coupling means is again actuated, said attaching means including means to release said device from said translating carriage upon engagement of said device by said selector carriage.

KARL HOPER.- 

